


The Hamptons

by Hshhannah



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Angst, Divorce, Happy, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-18
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2018-12-03 21:45:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11541036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hshhannah/pseuds/Hshhannah
Summary: Mike and Harvey decided to get a divorce after a year of constant fighting. What happens when, during the divorce negotiations Jessica sends the two men away together at the request of a client?That is the difficult part, when jealousy rages, will the two realise that they can't actually go through with the divorce?





	1. The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone!  
> So, this is my first Marvey fic and first fic ever! I hope you enjoy it! I apologise for any inaccuracies, but please be nice when pointing them out! I hope you enjoy it!  
> This first chapter is quite short, if you guys like it then I can make it longer!

1 Month prior 

“No, what I’m telling you is you should have goddamn known what my reaction would be.” Harvey glared at Mike before turning to go to their bedroom, and not for the first time in the past year the two men had ended up in an argument, with Mike having no idea what it had stemmed from. He could feel his heart breaking more each time, and he couldn’t put himself through it anymore. 

“I want a divorce.” He blurted out, telling himself this was the best course of action for the two of them. Right now, there was a gun to his head every time Harvey came home and having no other way to placate the situation, rather than wait for Harvey to pull the trigger, he took one of the other options and pulled it himself. 

“What did you just say?” Harvey turned back around as fast as he went.  
“You heard me.” Mike held his gaze, trying not to falter, trying not to show Harvey just how weak he felt in that exact moment.  
“No, I heard you. I just wanted to give you the fucking courtesy of changing your answer.” Harvey practically growled out, not liking the feeling of being out of control, of Mike having the upper hand with this one.  
“Harvey, I can’t keep doing this.” Mike sighed, sitting down in the kitchen, before gesturing for Harvey to do the same. “We need to talk about this like adults. Like lawyers, if necessary. And you need to hear what I have to say.” 

“You want to talk about this like lawyers? Are you shitting me? You want me to draw you up some nice paperwork and be on my way? Like hell I’m doing that. So, you can tell me why you have suddenly lost your goddamn mind, because I sure as hell am not giving you a divorce easily.” Harvey slammed his hand down on the counter, waiting for Mike to come to his senses. Silently he didn’t feel quite so confident, in fact he would rather not be having this discussion at all. 

“I can’t keep doing this Harvey.” Mike shook his head, “the fighting every night, you constantly pulling me up, waiting for you to want out. I’m surprised you hadn’t suggested this yourself first.” Mike was feeling more on edge than when he had said the words, he had thought that this was the easy way, that this, this would stop them fighting.  
“And what about if I don’t want out? What are you going to do then Mike?” Harvey’s voice softened. Realising he could lose Mike, that was worse than the stupid shit that they had been fighting about in the first place. 

“What if I love you too much to let you walk without a fight?” He added, hoping to win Mike over. He was the best close in New York and right now, even he knew this was a battle he couldn’t win.  
“Harvey, you can’t be happy with this. With us. Not right now. Not with the way we are going. We can’t continue like this. Constantly down each other’s necks. Constantly feeling like we have to work on eggshells. I know you feel it to. And it’s ok. Maybe, maybe we’ve run our course. Tell me the last time before this conversation we told each other that we love each other?” Mike waited for Harvey to answer. “You can’t.”  
“I don’t know what you want me to say Mike. I knew things were complicated, but nothing couples therapy couldn’t fix.” Harvey tried to joke, but there was no making light of this situation. 

“Couples therapy really?” Mike grinned, it was so easy to joke with Harvey, he sighed, his face dropping. “The problem is Harvey, when we come home you treat me like the rookie associate that I once was, and it hurts because one, I’m a senior partner, and you may be managing partner, but here we should be my second point, husbands. And so, we argue, and nothing gets resolved. You go to bed, I go to bed, and we pretend like it never happened.” 

“This is it then?” 

Mike just nodded, before grabbing his coat. “I’ll stay in Rachel’s for the night.” 

“No, Mik-.” He left before Harvey had the chance to protest.

 

Present day: 

“Harvey, I need you and Mike to go to the Hamptons to meet a client for two weeks week. He specifically asked for the both of you.” Jessica sat down on the couch in Harvey’s office, smiling eerily at him. 

“Hello Jessica, come sit. What can I do for you? Oh that, no that is not going to happen, because in case you haven’t notice we are in the middle of our own divorce proceedings, and whilst things are civil now, putting us in a house together for 2 weeks won’t end well.” Harvey didn’t even look up from his computer, if truth be told, he missed Mike, and the opportunity to spend a week with him, well he really didn’t want to pass up that opportunity. 

“Now Harvey, you listen to me. You are both going to go, you are going to pretend like you both don’t have a care in the world, and you are both going to sort this shit out for our client, and that is non-negotiable.” Jessica warned. “Anyway, Mike has already agreed, he is much less ballsy with me than you are.” She smirked. “Now that is sorted, I don’t understand why your divorce proceedings are taking so long. Mike already stated he didn’t want anything off you.” 

“Fine I’ll go. But just so we’re clear, our divorce proceedings are nobody else’s goddamn business.” Harvey seethed, he had heard enough office gossip about him and Mike splitting up. But coming from Jessica it hurt more. He buttoned his jacket before standing up, “I take it my suits and everything are already in the car?” Jessica nodded. 

“See you in 2 weeks Harvey.”


	2. Dana Scott

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harvey and Mike fight over the opposing counsel before she has even arrived yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you for all your kind comments and for the kudos! It really did put the biggest smile on my face! I hope you enjoy the new chapter! It all kicks off from here. There will be more fighting, more point scoring. But don't worry our boys always find a way to work it out! Much love, and I hope you are all having a great day :)

Mike drummed his fingers against the passenger door of the car, waiting impatiently for Harvey. He knew there would be a day that they would have to work together again, he just didn’t assume that it would be this soon, nor for this long. He saw Harvey approaching the car looking pissed, but put together, and holy crap, Mike realised how much he missed and still loved Harvey, and he didn’t think it would hurt quite so much. The last few times they had passed each other in the corridors at the firm they largely ignored each other, they’d been communicating through divorce papers back and forth to each other’s desk for weeks, this was the first time that they needed to actually look each other in the eye and speak. That cut Mike more than anything, having to look at his soon to be ex-husband and face up to the fact that Mike had been a mess without him. He couldn’t sleep, the bed was too cold, he couldn’t eat properly, the conversation during mealtimes, the jokes, the laughter not the same. Harvey was such a big part of his life, and Mike didn’t see how he could let that go easily. 

As Harvey approached he was at a loss for words, Mike was just standing there, looking like crap, and knowing Mike was as torn up about them not being together as he was made Harvey feel slightly better. “Mike,” he acknowledged, hoping that he was giving off an aura of calm. “Hey, so…” Mike trailed off, Harvey just smiled sadly before opening the car door, he noted that Mike still had his wedding ring on, it made his heart leap.

“So, the McMillan’s want a merger with the Palmers, we are going to make sure it runs smoothly, not sure who opposing counsel is yet, but whoever it is…” Mike interrupted him, “I know this already, in case you haven’t notice I’m a senior partner now.” He bit, frustrated that once again, Harvey was treating him like a rookie. “Oh, and I already did a little digging, the Palmers opposing counsel is Scottie.” Mike looked at Harvey for the first time since getting in the car, trying to gauge how Harvey felt, knowing he had no right to feel angry that Harvey would get to see her. 

Harvey didn’t even flinch at the news about Scottie, knowing Mike wanted him to react outraged, and knowing how Mike felt about Scottie, how he felt threatened by her position in Harvey’s past, he decided to play it off to make Mike jealous. “Great, gives us time to catch up properly, haven’t done that in a while.” He smirked, knowing Mike would take a double meaning to his words. 

Mike looked away, if Harvey was going to do anything with Scottie it was none of his business, it still hurt all the same, Harvey had once promised him he didn’t see Scottie like that anymore, Mike now just chalked it down to the list of things that Harvey was willing to keep from him. “I should have known…” Mike muttered, he could feel himself ready to burst with years of pent up frustration over Scottie. He felt like he wanted to hurt Harvey in a way he had never considered before, and that scared him. 

“Known what?” Harvey was geared for the inevitable fight that was to come, he had plenty of practice when they were married, they had spent hours before fighting over Scottie in the beginning, Mike always feeling slightly jealous, Harvey assuring him that nothing like that would ever happen. 

“That I was always second best in the game that is Harvey Specter and Dana Scott. That you still had feeling for her that ran deeper than your feeling for me. I mean you always told me that nothing would ever happen, but now I’m starting to seriously doubt that. You told me you loved me, but now I can see that was just part of the Harvey Specter bullshit made to close a problem.” Mike knew he was pushing it, but the irrational side of him was telling him to keep going, to make Harvey blow up, to make him hurt, he started it, and now it was time to put the pressure back on him. 

“I mean how many times did you fuck her when we were married? Those late nights, getting drinks and resolving your issues, me thinking I was going crazy because you wouldn’t do that to me, you said you wouldn’t. Because Harvey isn’t like his mother. Turns out you probably would do that.” Mike spat, he’d had these irrational thoughts run through his head for years, too scared to voice them before because that would mean the end for them, well now it was already the end and Mike had things he wanted to get off his chest. He cleared his throat at the end, afraid to let any tears come out, of showing Harvey that he was weak, like Harvey had accused him of being so many times before. 

“You know what Mike, you believe what you want to believe. But if you believe I would do that to you, if you think for one second that I didn’t love you…” Harvey trailed off trying to think about the right words, he truly didn’t want Mike to believe that he was the type of man to cheat on his husband, and he knew Mike was hurting, but he was still Harvey goddamn Specter, and he didn’t back down. “well, let’s just say that you mustn’t have known me, and maybe we should never have been married in the first place. And we wouldn’t be married right now if you would just sign the bloody divorce papers that I keep sending to your desk.” Harvey looked away, hoping that would be the end of conversation, what he didn’t bet on was Mike’s voice sounding so small. 

“I don’t know if I can believe you anymore Harvey. I believed you when you said you wouldn’t hurt me. Your words after finding out Scottie was working for the Palmers, they hurt me. All the arguments that you started, having me feel like I wasn’t good enough, they hurt me, you allowed me to walk away. If you lied about that, I don’t know what else you lied to me about.” Mike sighed, digging his nails into his palms to focus on something else other than Harvey right now. “But right now, I am goddamn hurting, and it is not your job anymore to fix it, I know that, but please don’t flaunt her in front of my face like you were planning to. I don’t know if I am quite ready to deal with that yet.” 

“Mike….” Harvey didn’t know what to say in response, he knew Mike didn’t want his comfort, but right now he wanted to reach out, he wanted to hold his husband, he wanted to apologise, but he knew he couldn’t, that would be crossing that wall that Mike had built when he asked for the divorce. “I promise I didn’t lie, and in our down time over the next two weeks I hope I can prove that to you, I don’t want you to hate me after the divorce is over.” He admitted, “but right now we have things we need to go over for our client, the next two weeks the client comes first, our personal issues with each other can’t eat into that. Got it?” 

Mike simply nodded, he grabbed a folder out of Harvey’s hand and for the next hour and a half of their journey, the only talk they had was about the case.


	3. What about a break?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!   
> Bad case of writers block led to this! I hope you all enjoy it. I've been blown away by how kind you've all been towards my little story here, thank you so much for all the kudos and comments, I really grin like the cheshire cat when I see them! Thanks for reading!

The car ground to a halt, both men looked up from their paperwork, Harvey letting out a whistle. The house Jessica had put them up in, even to Harvey was impressive, he glanced over to see Mike, his face was a picture of shock and awe, he was gaping, trying to find the right words. 

“Still haven’t gotten used to places like this after 5 years of marriage rookie?” Harvey joked, hoping that him and Mike could keep it civil for the next two weeks. He’d mulled it over on the car journey, the journey he had spent secretly glancing over at Mike, and just watching the expressions he pulled whilst doing his paperwork made Harvey’s heart lurch. Harvey wanted them to get back to where they were before all the fighting, he wanted them to get back to being happy, and the only way he could do that was to show Mike they could be civil. 

“Not quite, you know, it never seemed real. It was like I was in this world playing with something that never quite fit me, that didn’t belong to me. I don’t know why? Maybe I was waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under my feet, just didn’t assume I’d be the one who would pull it.” Mike smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He always felt uncomfortable at these things, but when he was with Harvey he didn’t dwell on it so much, now he felt alone. Of course, Harvey was still with him, and of course he wouldn’t leave Mike to the wolves, but it didn’t feel the same. The secret smiles, the glances, sneaking off early, that would be gone, and Mike, he’d been the one to kill it. The past week had been hell, from hardly seeing Harvey, not getting to hear his voice, not getting to kiss him, not getting to share a bed, to imagining the other people that Harvey could now choose to be with. Mike had to stop himself from calling Harvey every night, and every time he could feel his resolve breaking. 

“I still get that.” Harvey murmured, if he couldn’t be honest with Mike, who right now was still his husband, well, he would be far too lonely. “Like people are staring at you, waiting to trip you so they can send you back down to the gutter. Want to know how I get over it?” Harvey questioned, Mike simply nodded. “By being the best damn lawyer I can be, by making sure they have no reason to trip me up in the first place. Now bags, inside, food and then client.” 

Harvey opened the door, assuring Ray that he could get their bags, Harvey may be a bigshot lawyer, but nobody carries his bags if he can help it. He grabbed Mike’s too, unsure whether he should, but not really thinking about it before he’d done it. After all, he’d done it previous times before when they were still together. 

“Ever the gentleman.” Mike joked, grabbing his bag off Harvey, leading them into the house. “Jessica really has outdone herself with this one.” Looking round the house he couldn’t help but feel nostalgic, they’d been the Hamptons together once before, not long after they had gotten married, the house wasn’t quite so grand, Mike had specifically requested one that wasn’t. 

Harvey led them upstairs, impressed by how big the house was. “I suppose she has. All that’s left to do is pick a room.” Had it been under better circumstances Harvey would have taken Mike into one of those rooms and ravished him. He wouldn’t have let Mike out without making him forget his own name, and goddamn-it, that thought was going to get him into trouble if he wasn’t careful. What Harvey didn’t know was Mike was having the exact same thought, and it made him blush. Inwardly cringing to himself for acting like a teenager. 

“I’ll just take this one. Um do we get to change into more comfortable clothes, or is it normal business wear?” Mike questioned, hoping he could get out of the suit that felt like it was choking him with the heat. “Casual, but still smart. A pair of proper shorts and a shirt should do. I imagine Jessica would have had someone pack those. The reason the clients have picked here, in my experience, is to give off a more relaxed atmosphere, obviously we can’t walk around the pool in our trunks all day, but we will have time to wind down so long as things aren’t a complete disaster when we get to McMillan.” Harvey assured him, Mike nodded before running into the room, hoping his husband didn’t notice anything off. 

As he left Harvey let out a sigh of relief, before picking the room that was furthest away from Mike’s, lest he be tempted. He undid his tie, and got changed quickly, willing his thoughts away from Mike and to the case. He walked downstairs, and seeing Mike wasn’t there yet he headed straight the kitchen. Checking the cupboards and fridge, it had been fully stocked, and so he decided to make them both a quick bite. 

“Hey,” Mike slid down on one of the chairs by the counter. “Bacon and cheese, you are my hero.” This was easy, this was normal, and Mike hated how much that hurt him. Thinking to himself he may have been too hasty, too quick to suggest a divorce, constantly second guessing his decisions. He supposed in some way Harvey always made him do that from the start. 

For Harvey’s part, he was running through his head on what he could say to Mike. How he could make this better, how he could fix this disaster that was their lives. But, he couldn’t do it. He had to respect Mike’s wishes, and he needed Mike to be the one to say he’d changed his mind, not that he wouldn’t be there to show Mike what they could be, he wouldn’t stop trying to win Mike over, but he wouldn’t be the one to force himself back on the younger man. So, he did what was necessary, he gave Mike a push. 

“A hero, no definitely not, if I were a hero I wouldn’t have been distracted by how good you look in them shorts, and the toast wouldn’t be burnt right now.” He gave Mike a grin, one that was used exclusively for when he was teasing him. “Is that so?” Mike laughed, “I seem to recall those other ten million times you’ve been a disaster at making toast.” He said cheekily. 

“All your fault I assure you.” Harvey joked, before sitting down next to Mike, handing him his food and drink first. “You know the first time I made you bacon I got so nervous that I set it on fire whilst you were in the shower. The first morning after we…” Harvey trailed off, grinning to himself this time at the memory. 

“Oh, I knew. I just thought I wouldn’t bring it up. I wanted you to like me, I didn’t want you to tell me off and go back into work Harvey mode.” Harvey let off a loud laugh, and Mike couldn’t help but join in. It was like one of those movie moments, leaning on each other for support, getting slightly too close to each other, both calming down at the exact right moment for tension to build up. “You know, I never got a good-bye kiss, I never got to kiss you for the last time. It was all so sudden” Harvey whispered, “and it’s been killing me Mike.” 

“Me too.” Mike murmured, bringing his hand up to cup Harvey’s cheek. “This whole thing has been killing me.” He admitted. 

“Say the word and it will stop.” Harvey held his breath, this was it. 

“I-I don’t know if I can. I need time to think. I’m sorry.” 

Harvey pulled back, nodding, before settling back into the chair, his face set into a stone mask. He snapped, as only he could do. “Take all the time you need Mike. But whilst you’re at it, we might be better looking through our divorce settlement. I don’t want to waste any more time if at the end of all this you still don’t want to be with me.” He looked away from Mike, unable to control his anger, he was frustrated, he knew it wasn’t ok to take it out on the other man, but he couldn’t help it. It was who Harvey was. He got angry quickly, he blew off the handle, he regretted it afterwards. It was a self-fulfilling circle. 

“Harvey, don’t do this. Don’t force my hand again.” Mike begged, he knew he was asking a lot of Harvey, “don’t make me say something else I’ll regret.” 

“Like what?” Harvey sneered, trying to calm himself, before he could go into full self-preservation mode. 

Like I don’t want a divorce. Mike thought, he wouldn’t say it, he didn’t want to get Harvey’s hopes up on something he wasn’t so sure on. Them, the idea of the, was what he was scared of. Instead, he decided to do what Harvey wanted, as he always had to talk about the divorce. 

“I don’t want anything from you in the settlement. That is why I keep sending the papers back to you. You keep trying to give me things that I don’t need.” He explained, “all I want is my ring.” Mike glanced down at his finger, knowing how pathetic he must look to the outside world for not taking it off yet. But everything for him was so uncertain, and he wasn’t going to take it off lightly. 

“I care about you. Scratch that. I love you. I won’t stop. And as such, I want you to be comfortable after we,” Harvey shook his head, “no if we get divorced, I want you to be comfortable. And it’s still and if, right?” He questioned, feeling small, exposed, in a way that he could only be in front of Mike. It was like when they were getting together, when he told Mike about his mother and his father and how exposed he’d felt then. 

Mike for his part, reached out to Harvey, holding his hand, “It’s still and if.” He agreed.

Harvey nodded, “then hear me out.” He squeezed Mike’s hand lightly, relishing in the feeling. “What if instead of negotiating a divorce we go on a marital break. No mention of a divorce, just a time to re-evaluate our relationship? With the main aim to fix us rather than end us, can you agree to that?” He was all but begging, hoping Mike would give him a second chance.


	4. A good type of break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike and Harvey state the parameters of their break, navigating getting closer with the work they are there to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so this chapter is pure fluff and happiness! I thought you guys deserved that!! Sorry for taking so long! Hope you enjoy :) Any mistakes are because I'm a lazy shit who doesn't proof read, sorry!

Mike’s face lit up so much he was practically beaming at the suggestion. This had been what they needed all along, a break, not a divorce. He was inwardly berating himself for not thinking of it first. Without thinking, he pulled Harvey in for a kiss, before quickly pulling back, not sure whether kissing was under break territory. “Er- I don’t know if that is what you meant by going on a break, but I just got excited and…” Harvey cut him off with a laugh before pulling him close and kissing him again. 

“A break can mean whatever we want. It can mean we go on dates, but don’t live together, it can mean the intimate part of our relationship picks back up, but we talk about it more. Or, the alternative, we hardly see each other, we don’t do what we have just done, we see other people.” Harvey shrugged, if he was honest he was only fine with the first option, the thought of Mike seeing someone else made him shudder. 

Thankfully, Mike’s nose wrinkled in disgust at the thought of seeing other people. He pulled Harvey’s hand into his own, tracing a pattern where his wedding ring should have been. “And our rings, do we-well, do we put them back on?” Mike was bouncing in his chair, the thought of people knowing Harvey was taken by him, it made him feel like an excited puppy. In particular, he was buzzing to see the look on Scottie’s face when it dawned on her that she still couldn’t have Harvey. The knowledge that Mike and Harvey were supposedly getting a divorce was no secret to those in the legal world. Mainly because Harvey Specter was a catch, and the moment he had been seen without his wedding ring had sent the gossip mills turning. 

Harvey nodded, putting his hand in his pocket to take out his own ring, call him sappy, but he was keeping it on him hoping for a moment like this. “If that is what we choose.” His smile was soft, and more relaxed than what Mike had seen in days. It corresponded with the way Mike felt right in that moment, completely at peace, elated at the thought of getting to know Harvey all over again. Mike grabbed his own ring, mirroring Harvey by taking it out of his pocket. They smiled shyly at each other before putting them back on. 

If Mike currently sat grinning like the cat who got the cream, well Harvey was happy to see it, it wasn’t one of the smug smiles that Mike would put on when he thought he had won an argument, no this was just pure happiness, pure love, in its simplest form, and Harvey couldn’t be prouder for putting that look on his husband’s face. 

“So Mr. Ross, when are you taking me on a date.” Harvey teased, his eyes twinkling, a playful smirk adorning his face. Mike laughed, throwing his head back. “I thought Harvey Specter wined and dined people, or so you told me when we first started dating.” Mike winked, before speaking again, “oh and that’s still Mr. Ross-Specter.” He reminded, truthfully even when they were married most people still referred to them by their own names, but they had changed them legally. 

Harvey’s heart leapt at the words, “well perhaps I could be persuaded to relax the reigns a little bit this time round.” He pulled Mike up. “But I’m afraid our first date with have to wait we have a meeting to prep.” 

Both men headed towards the built-in office, where the contracts were sitting waiting for them. Mike gave Harvey’s hand a squeeze before setting him down so they could work. The silence no longer so awkward, and neither men were able to stop themselves from glancing up at the other and smiling, and if Mike decided to initiate a game of footsie under the table, well Harvey was hardly going to complain. After all, this was the most normal they had both felt in months. 

“I think this part needs tweaking.” Mike suggested, “they’re trying to strong arm our client into having to pay for a get out clause, when they already included one for themselves free of charge.” Mike highlighted the clause before handing the paperwork over to Harvey to inspect, Harvey hummed in assent. “Seems we are dealing with a dirty opposition.” While Mike had been paying attention to the details in the contracts (his memory and quick reading pace made it his speciality. Although, Harvey was fantastic at it too.) Harvey had been researching the opposing company, seeing why they approached their client with the merger in the first place, trying to put the whole picture together. 

“Look,” Harvey scooted closer to Mike showing him the laptop screen. “Palmer’s floundering, he’s having to pay so much out in insurance after an incident involving so many of his workers. I bet he is trying to get our client to fork out money towards the insurance, before leaving him high and dry and backing out of the merger.” He explained, his mind was working overtime trying to think of the possible solutions, the way to make his client happy, and what would make his client happy would be a merger, but right now that was off the table. He wondered if Scottie knew that he would find her out, after all she had tried to bury them in paperwork for the merger so he wouldn’t notice the clause in the contract. Maybe, had he been relying on the work of an associate, that might have been the case. But he and Mike were both partners, there was no way she was pulling the wool over their eyes and she knew it. Harvey had to question what her real game plan was here. 

“So, we done for today?” Mike questioned, Harvey nodded before packing all the paperwork into folders. Mike took in a breath, working up the courage to say his next words, “does that mean, I mean- well, are you free to go on that date now?” He’d not felt this nervous around Harvey in a while, he could feel his cheeks heating up, and he knew he had gone red as a tomato. 

Harvey looked surprised, he had only been teasing when he told Mike he expected him to take the lead this time. Nevertheless, of course, he was going to agree and told Mike as much. This led to them sitting on the floor in the lounge, with some awful movie on chatting and throwing popcorn at each other.


	5. Re-marry me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harvey and Mike talk some things out.

Harvey and Mike lay on the floor, propping themselves up by their elbow to face each other, both men totally relaxed in each other’s company. Mike let out a contented sigh, shuffling closer to Harvey. “This is nice, I’ve missed you.” He admitted, his eyes shining with love for Harvey, in a way that they hadn’t done in a long time. Harvey swore to himself he wouldn’t do anything to make that look leave Mike’s face again. 

“I love you Mike.” A soft grin was playing at the corner of Harvey’s lips, he leaned and kissed Mike, gently at first, before pulling him to sit up so he could get closer and devour the younger man’s lips. “I’ve missed you.” He placed three more soft kisses before pulling away. 

Mike drew gentle circles on Harvey’s face, gliding his hands up and combing his fingers through the man’s hair. “Can we- can we talk about us?” He asked, heartbroken by the startled look on Harvey’s face, like he was scared that Mike would leave again. “No. No not in that way.” He was quick to reassure. Noticing the slightly calmer look on Harvey’s face he decided to continue. 

“I don’t want us to ever separate again Harvey. I couldn’t eat properly, I couldn’t sleep properly. It took so much energy not just to go back to our apartment and beg for you to take me back. But, I’ve got to admit I’m glad that happened.” He grabbed hold of Harvey’s hand, wanting to feel closer, “because if it hadn’t we would have been too far gone, with the shouting and the sleeping in separate rooms at least once a week, we were falling apart, spiralling out of control and we were both too far gone to try and talk it out.” He admitted, feeling like a weight had been lifted off his chest. 

Harvey paused for a moment, wanting to think about his reply carefully. “I want you to know that I didn’t mean for any of that to happen, but couples fight Mike. We were going through a rough patch, sure, we were at each other’s throats, but maybe, if that happens again we talk it out. Don’t instantly run to the option of divorce. I never want to be separated from you like that again. I don’t know if you notice, but you are kinda my world, and I really wanna be yours.” Harvey lifted Mike’s hand up to kiss it, glad that he could be affectionate with his husband again. 

“Maybe next time, well hopefully, there won’t be a next time. But, if there is, we can talk like adults instead of screaming at each other?” He suggested. 

Harvey nodded in agreement. “Marry me?” He joked, before thinking about it again. “Or re-marry me?” He placed both his hands on Mike’s thighs. “We can do it next week. We’ll wrap up the case here, get back to New York and go and renew our vows.” He grinned flirtatiously, knowing that usually Mike couldn’t resist that grin. 

His face fell when Mike shook his head. “Can we wait a while until the dust had settled?” Mike questioned, inwardly berating himself when he saw Harvey’s face fall again. He didn’t think it was a fantastic idea to jump back in. They were on a marital break after all. 

“Why should we wait? We want to be together right? What better way to show everyone that we are back than to renew our vows, let me show the world how much you mean to me?” Harvey had a puzzled look on his face, trying to work out Mike’s thought process for saying no. 

“Harvey a few hours ago we said we were going to take this time as a break. Now I know it isn’t a break in a traditional sense, but I don’t think that it is the best idea to rush back into it. We need time to heal, time to process what is happening. Time for me to woo you again,” he joked weakly, feeling Harvey’s hands tensing on his thighs before he pulled away from him completely. 

“Time to heal and process? Mike that is bullshit and you know it. You already have me, why are we wasting all this time?” He could feel the anger bubbling up inside him, yet, he still tried to keep and lid on it. He wanted Mike to know that they had moved past the arguing and the point scoring, and the hurting each other deliberately. 

 

“What- did you expect me just to move straight back in, we need to talk a lot more about why we were fighting before we can move forward.” Mike was trying to be rational, but all really wanted was to jump on Harvey and say yes. However, he knew they still had issues to sort out, and one of them had to be brave enough to confront them. 

“Ok, so we talk now and get it over with. Then at the end you get to decide whether I’m still good enough for you.” Harvey sneered, his voice deepening, his hands shaking with the feeling of being out of control. 

“Harvey, calm down.” Mike place his hands on either side of his husband’s face, trying to get the man to look at him. “I’m not saying I won’t move back in, but when we are ready. I need to know why we are angry at each other, why the past few months we tried to hurt each other.” 

Harvey knew Mike was right, he sighed defeated. “It’s because we were not seeing enough of each other. That is why I started the arguing, and when I started I couldn’t stop. It was like we finally had each other’s attention on something that wasn’t to do with work.” And with that Harvey’s whole body slumped, feeling more relaxed than what he had in months, for months he had been on edge, because frankly, he had missed his husband. Mike was the thing that brought the most light into his life, and he was so scared to lose that light, he didn’t realise instead of losing it to work, he had pushed it away himself. It had taken him weeks in therapy after the divorce to admit that he had caused the majority of the fights, and the rest Mike had cause out of resentment towards him. “I know that because I went to therapy after our split. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to hear about it and worry.” 

Mike pulled Harvey close to him, “it’s ok.” He reaffirmed. “This is good, we are talking.” He pressed light kisses on Harvey’s head, feeling him relax further and further. “I know, I know before the split we didn’t make time for each other. God, we have turned into a mess.” He chuckled but without humour. “But a mess that can be cleared up. Give me this week, this week to talk, date, live together, and by the end of the week you can have my answer.”   
Harvey nodded before turning around to kiss him.


End file.
